This invention relates to vehicle tow bars, and more particularly, to foldable and collapsible tow bars which are easily attached and removed from the towed and towing vehicles.
1. Field of the Invention
The tow bar assembly includes telescoping frame members having ends attached to an apex member which in turn mounts to a connecting member which is attached to a towing vehicle. The other ends of the frame members are telescopically adjusted and are secured to the bumper or frame of the towed vehicle. Each telescoping frame member has a pair of telescopic members and a locking mechanism for adjustably securing the members for ease of attachment to the vehicles and for providing a quick release for the frame members for detachment from a vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Tow bars are known in the prior art. Some are conventional in the sense that they are either single bars or are an A-frame type which are rigidly mounted to the vehicles. Alternatively, collapsible tow bars are known which are arranged to be folded when not in use for storage purposes. Also, the prior art discloses tow bars which include telescopically adjustable members which are secured by locking members and which members are adapted for remote actuation.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,978,134; 5,071,153 and 5,147,095 teach the universal mounting of collapsible-telescoping tow bar members.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,011,176; 3,984,121; 4,861,061; 2,484,751; 3,492,022; 2,639,160 and 3,158,387 disclose pressure release and/or extension and retraction locking capabilities for telescoping tow bar members. U.S. Pat. No. 3,984,121 discloses a spring biased pivotal mechanism for a locking pin which is adaptable for insertion in complementary openings to adjust and secure telescoping tow bar members. U.S. Pat. No. 2,639,160 discloses an eccentric roller/cylinder member, an eccentric lobe portion which engages complementary notches when rotated to lock telescoping bar members in place. U.S. Pat. No. 3,158,387 discloses cam locking means to secure tow bar telescoping members.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,914,343 discloses a tow bar mounting attached to a vehicle frame under the bumper and telescoped such that it can be retracted to conceal the mount.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,806,162 discloses a clamp attachment to a bumper for a universal tow bar mounting.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,667,366 discloses a remote pin release mechanism to permit actuation for locking and unlocking adjustable telescoping tow bar members.
While the tow bars described in the above-referenced patents provide some advantages, they do not permit the overall versatility of the present invention. For example, in the prior art structures, there is considerable difficulty in releasing the locking mechanism for the tow bar members especially when the towed and towing vehicles are stopped at a position where there is a tension force on the tow bar members. In such a situation it is necessary to dismount the towing vehicle to manually force disengagement of the locking mechanism by utilizing a hammer or the like.
The invention is directed to an easily attached and detached tow bar assembly that avoids the problems of the prior art.
The invention includes a collapsible and universal mount for the tow bar for ease of storage when not in use. The invention further includes adjustable telescoping frame members for attachment and detachment to towed and towing vehicles regardless of their static position relative to each other.
Each adjustable telescoping tubular frame member includes a pair of telescopic members and an easily actuated release mechanism for securing the telescopic members to each other so that they can be easily released either remotely or otherwise despite the fact that the vehicles may cause considerable tension forces on the bars. For example, the vehicles may be parked on a hill when it is desired to unhook the tow bar assembly. In this case, it is clear that any release mechanism will be under considerable tension forces making it difficult to effect release without the use of a force applying implement or the like.
Another embodiment of the invention uses roller release members which can be lever actuated. The roller release members cooperate with one another and with the telescopic members such that only finger pressure is needed to release the members from notches in the members.